Most times, the training of guard dogs is always left in the hands of professionals. However, you can still perform the task on your own by following some important steps, similar to those supported by professionals.

It is important to note that training a guard dog at an earlier stage is much more effective than doing it when the dog has already grown up. This is because the dog has competing skills, with every skill competing to be acquired first. That’s the reason as to why this training is well done by professionals as they are well equipped with techniques for doing it until the dogs can efficiently function as guard dogs. But you can still train your guard dog to expertise skills such as personal protection, obedience, socializing and bark on command.

Personal protection training

If you are one of those people who like walking at night, then it is high time you train your guard dog on personal protection. How do you do it?

Training a dog for personal protection is quite easy. You need to look for a friend whom the dog doesn’t know. Ask the stranger to walk towards the dog and challenge it. Ask him to act afraid once you command your dog to bark at him, and run away. This will make your dog more confident and it will now threaten anyone who will make any attempt of threatening you.

Obedience training

Your dog should respond immediately when you give a command. In fact, obedience is the first basic discipline you need to teach your dog.

You can easily train your dog to obey by reinforcing her behavior. For instance, if you want her to lie down, command her with “lie down” phrase as you point down. Reinforce the behavior more often such that she will obey later even without the reinforcement. You can also choose to sign her for an obedience training class. Electric fences are a way to train your dog to stay on the property unsupervised. You would need to hire a good installer like Electrician Indianapolis to ensure proper configuration of the fence.

Socialization training

If your dog doesn’t know how to socialize, she will always get alarmed whenever she finds herself in new situations. Most dogs are effectively trained for socialization from 0-16 months, a stage known as sensitive socialization period.

Effective socialization training occurs when you go out and take your dog for a walk. If you suspect that the dog is nervous at the sight of a new or unusual object, don’t hesitate to take her near the object so that she can have a closer look. Such a walk can also help your dog to recognize normal pedestrians so that she doesn’t feel threatened by every person she encounters.

Bark on command

Some dogs will bark at strangers, while there are still those who just respond to “attack” commands. To train your dog to bark on command, just create a word that you will be using to issue the back command. For instance, you may observe that the dog barks when she sees a certain bird. You can use the name of the bird to train the dog to bark on command. An example is a dog that used to bark at the vultures. To train her to bark on command, the owner had to say the word “Urubu” (vulture) and the dog would bark. The secret here is for you to note what the dog does naturally.

Dogs are man’s best friend. Most often, people have dogs as pets because they are easy to be with. They can be a family’s companion, playmate, guard dog or a life-saver for veterans with PTSD. In fact, I could go all day long telling you what dogs could mean to dog-lovers. Some dogs were bred to be guard dogs and junkyard dogs. Junkyard dogs are dogs meant to protect properties. These dogs do not only scare away potential oppressors but also defend, without having two thoughts, their owner if they feel they are in a threatening situation. Here is a list of dog breeds that are among the most famous junkyard dogs.

Belgian Malinois

This breed of dogs is known for its strong, medium-sized body and aggressiveness. “Although it is not advisable to have them around children, they make a great junkyard dog”; says Tom the owner of a local towing company in Norfolk. This breed is also good at being outdoors especially because they have low tendencies of digging up soils. This breed has been a company favorite to law enforcers, rescue operations and even in therapy assistance. They are brilliant and obedient.

Pit Bull

Although the term “Pit Bull” is not considered a breed, they are considered one of the most protective dogs. They are descendants of the bulldog and terrier breeds. These dogs are often misunderstood and have even been banned in some countries. They, however, are physically and mentally robust, agile and have powerful muscular bodies. Pit bulls are very responsive to training, are resourceful, driven and have the characteristics to be great junkyard and protection dogs.

Rottweiler

Rottweiler dogs are usually bred for being guardians. Most males need dominance and are most aggressive. This breed is known for their activeness, intelligence and trainability, but they are also known to be noisy and cheeky little diggers! Having them would require patience. And if appropriately trained, these dogs can guarantee protection even for very young children.

Doberman Pinscher

Although bred for guardian and protection, Doberman Pinschers are known to be affectionate and sweet. Their people-oriented characteristics make them easy to be with and to train. Being robust and active, these dogs need to be in a physical activity such as exercises like running. The lack of these activities could cause them to be irritable. These dogs are also very loyal to its owner and can be seen in most family homes.

German Shepherd

German shepherd dogs are calm, confident dogs that are both fierce and friendly. These dogs are large and powerful making them good junkyard dogs. They also have a keen guardian instinct and require minimal training for household protection. This breed is also famous as Military working dogs. It is common for people to see them sniffing bombs in public places and searching in aid of rescue teams.

So if you’re thinking of getting a junkyard dog, you already know what breed to get! These are only a few of the many. These breeds were not born to be guard dogs or junkyard dogs, they’re trained to become the “tough and strong” animals they can be, but always keep in mind that dogs are families too! The more you show them they are welcome, the more they’ll make sure you’re safe as guardians and protectors.

Effects on your guard dog

Dogs usually stay in the house throughout the day, so they are more exposed to the gas. Since they are continuously breathing the particles of Radon gas, they are more prone to lung cancer. Apart from lung cancer, Radon can cause other types of cancer as well.  Once your dog is affected by Radon gas, it will show some symptoms like an unwillingness to eat, feeling feverish or frequent throwing up. In that case, you should immediately get your house checked for the presence of Radon gas and take your dog to the vet.

Radon Testing

If you have dogs in your house, it is advisable to do a Radon test. It is a fundamental test where you hang a container in your basement. You seal up the bottle, and then you send the packet for a lab test. There are plenty of labs which does Radon tests. If they find that the level of Radon in your home is higher than the prescribed limit, then you will have to go for Radon mitigation. Testing should frequently be done to be safe. It’s also not a very expensive process.

Radon Mitigation

It primarily refers to the process of getting rid of the Radon from your house. In this system, there will be a technician who will install a pipe in the basement or the ground floor of your home and will flush the gas out. In this process, most of the Radon gas will be thrown out of the house.

Treatment

In case your dog is suffering from cancer caused by Radon, it will be tough to detect in the initial stages. Unless the disease progresses to the late stages, it is usually not recognized. Thus, canine cancer can be hard to cure in some of the cases. However, in some instances, it can be diagnosed in the initial stages through various tests like X-Ray, Ultrasound or Biopsy. If detected early, it can be cured through chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The vet may also refer you to an oncologist for further treatment.